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We are trying dear George but our government is not listening.
Today famed British journalist and environmentalist George Monbiot wrote an open letter to the people of Canada pleading with us to clean up our act on the environment. In his usual incisive prose he wrote:
“Canada’s tactics have caused shock and revulsion everywhere. They are dragging your good name through the mud. Stephen Harper and Jim Prentice threaten to do as much damage to your international standing as George W. Bush and Dick Cheney did to that of the United States.”
We are trying George but our government doesn’t listen to the people of this country, only to the oil companies.
In a recent poll two-thirds of Canadians see climate change as the most important issue facing the planet and there is growing activism trying to convince the government to change its disgraceful position. Here are just some of the actions taken by Canadians
Greenpeace and the Indigenous Environmental Network have been waging an extraordinary campaign against development in the Tar Sands with direct action, trips to Europe to inform people there, Petropolis a brilliant film by one of Canada’s top documentary film makers and protests like the altered billboard below in Edmonton.
Young Canadians disrupted Parliament last month to protest the government’s inaction on climate change after meeting in their hundreds on the issue as part of Power Shift and thousands of Canadians mobilized across the country on October 24th Day of Action on Climate Change.
Lots of activists have been working hard to let the government know we want action on climate change. Just today the third of a series of peaceful sit-ins staged by a coalition of concerned individuals who are targeting elected officials, tar sands financiers, and the coal and tar sands industries began at Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s office today, located at: 701 Rossland Road East- Unit 204, Whitby. Seven people entered the office just after 9:30 refusing to leave, demanding that the federal government act to combat the climate crisis and stem the millions of deaths and displacements that will result from more inaction.
And the Pembina Institute joined with one of our banks to do a report on what needs to be done to stem climate change. They wouldn’t even listen to that.
So I guess Dear George the only thing we can do is come out in even greater numbers on the December 12 International Day of Action and hopefully get rid of our disgusting government (you don’t know the half of it) in the next election.
But thanks for coming and letting our elite media know that Canada has a black eye around the world. Maybe if they start shifting on the Tar Sands, the Conservatives might be impacted but I doubt it. It is amazing how quickly we can move from what was pretty democratic government to a autocracy George. Any suggestions what we can do about that?
Sorry Judy but “we” are not trying. If we, the Canadian people, were trying we’d be castigating every opposition party leader who promoted Canada as a fossil fuel Energy Superpower for the 21st Century and every jackass who subverted carbon tax initiatives.
If we can’t clean up the Liberal Party and the New Democrats, we have no business bitching about Harper.
#1. Posted by MoS on December 1st 2009 at 1:39pm
Where, oh where has the passiion and the idealism of the NDP gone? They once represented the very best part of Canada, stretching back to Tommy Douglas and Medicare. Today they speak of catering to business, which represents nothing but greed and ruthless ambition, and exploitation of labour while they are making obscene profits. Meanwhile the unions are losing ground that was hard won over decades. From Mr. Sihota, the new president of the party, we hear uninspired, tired words about “Organizing” and “Financing” the party. Words to put idealistic youth to sleep.
#2. Posted by Madeline Bruce in Nanaimo, B. C. on December 1st 2009 at 8:37pm
As a believer in free speech, and democracy, and in traditional Canadian values, it behooves me to state publicly that I feel saddened that so much money was found to create window dressing and infrastructure for the 2010 Olympics in British Columbia, while homeless people are living and sleeping on our city streets. The very rich are getting richer, and it is now not possible for a homeless person to get a free meal at the Salvation Army in Nanaimo. Lunch costs a dollar, and supper costs $2.00. If you don’t have a dwelling you cannot collect Welfare, so where does that leave them? It leaves them very cold and hungry. Many of these homeless men are handicapped. Some have below normal intelligence. I know, because I am an assessor for the B. C. Government Disability Pension Applications. I did one yesterday for a man who is living under a grandstand on a sportsfield. The Police, and the By-Law Officers keep telling him to move along. He has nowhere to move along to. He was kicked out of the Salvation Army New Hope Centre after 30 days, because that is the time limit that you are allowed to sleep there. It is easy for people to salve their consciences by saying homeless people like it that way. This man is trying hard to get on his feet. He would like to do landscaping work. He has been attending a church for several months. His mother died when he was 8 years old, and his father was an abusive alcoholic. He has never managed to afford dental care, and his teeth are painful. His name is on the waiting list for accomodation at the old Balmoral Hotel in Nanaimo, and also for supportive housing. Meanwhile, he is sleeping, tonight, in below freezing weather under the grandstand of a sports field. Merry Christmas. -Madeline Bruce, Registered Psychiatric Nurse.
#3. Posted by Madeline Bruce in Nanaimo, B. C. on December 3rd 2009 at 5:11pm
Fighting pollution is important, and indeed, all the rage right now. Every issue has its day on the left and this is no different. What is certain however, is that as long as profit exists, so will pollution. There must be a revolution to overthrow capitalism before we can even meaningfully discuss the elimination of harmful pollutants.
#4. Posted by Christos Aivalis in Kingston on December 12th 2009 at 2:04am